Numerous mobile electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones, personal digital assistants, digital cameras, and MP3 players) and other devices (e.g., televisions, computer monitors, and automobiles) utilize light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”), organic light-emitting diodes (“OLEDs”), polymer light-emitting diodes (“PLEDs”), and other solid-state radiation transducers (“SSRTs”) for backlighting. SSRTs are also used for signage, indoor lighting, outdoor lighting, and other types of general illumination. To function in such applications, SSRTs generally must be packaged with other components to form SSRT devices. Conventional SSRT devices can include, for example, a back-side support for the SSRT (e.g., a mount), a heat sink, device leads, wires connecting the SSRT to the device leads, an optical component (e.g., a phosphor), and an encapsulant. Each of these components can serve one or more of several functions, including: (1) supporting the SSRT, (2) protecting the SSRT, (3) dissipating heat during operation of the SSRT, (4) modifying emissions from the SSRT (e.g., changing the color of the SSRT emissions), and (5) integrating the SSRT with the circuitry of external systems.
Conventional flip-chip mounting methods generally connect solid-state components to other device components without using wire bonds or other wires. Typically, in these methods, processing equipment deposits solder bumps onto contacts of the solid-state component, aligns the solder bumps with electrodes of the other device component, places the solder bumps onto the corresponding electrodes of the other device component, and re flows the solder bumps. An underfill material is often disposed in the space between the mounted solid-state component and the other device component.
Wire bonding, in contrast to flip-chip mounting, is used to connect conventional SSRTs to other device components. Wire bonding, however, has several disadvantages. For example, wire bonds require a significant amount of physical space. This can be problematic in miniaturized applications and applications with multiple SSRTs tightly grouped. In addition, wire bond formation is an intricate process requiring time on expensive equipment. Once formed, wire bonds are among the least reliable portions of SSRT packaging. For example, differential thermal expansion of the wires and the SSRTs can stress the wires over time and eventually lead to failure. In view of these and/or other deficiencies of conventional SSRT devices, there remains a need for innovation in this field.